Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of delaying or postponing a decision or action: "temporization" refers to the practice of intentionally putting off a decision or taking action, often to gain time or wait for more favorable circumstances.
   • The act of making temporary arrangements or compromises: It can also mean the process of reaching a provisional agreement or settlement to avoid immediate conflict or difficulty.
   • The act of adapting to circumstances: It involves adjusting one's behavior or plans to suit the current situation, often by avoiding a firm commitment.

Usage Examples

• (The government delayed making a decision on the policy.)
• (His use of delaying tactics helped reduce tension.)
• (She was blamed for postponing a necessary action.)

Advanced Usage

• "temporization as a diplomatic strategy": the use of delaying tactics in international relations to buy time for further analysis or to wait for better conditions.

  • The diplomat's temporization prevented a hasty agreement that would have been unfavorable. (The delay allowed for a more beneficial outcome.)

• "to engage in temporization": to deliberately delay or make temporary compromises.

  • The committee engaged in temporization rather than addressing the core issue. (The committee postponed dealing with the main problem.)

Variants and Related Words

• Temporize (verb): to delay or act evasively to gain time.

  • He chose to temporize rather than give a direct answer. (He delayed answering to avoid commitment.)

• Temporizer (noun): a person who engages in temporization.

  • She was known as a skilled temporizer in political debates. (She was adept at using delaying tactics.)

• Temporizing (adjective): characterized by delay or evasion.

  • His temporizing response frustrated the audience. (His evasive answer caused annoyance.)

Synonyms

• Procrastination: the action of delaying or postponing something.
• Dalliance: a brief or casual involvement with something, often involving delay.
• Stalling: the act of delaying intentionally, especially to gain time.
• Compromise: a temporary settlement or adjustment (in the sense of making provisional arrangements).

Related Idioms

• Play for time: to delay an event or decision in order to gain an advantage.

  • The lawyer was playing for time by asking many procedural questions. (He was delaying the proceedings.)

• Kick the can down the road: to postpone dealing with a problem, especially in politics.

  • The administration chose to kick the can down the road rather than solve the budget crisis. (They delayed the decision.)

• Buy time: to delay an event so that one can prepare for it or avoid it.

  • He made small talk to buy time while he thought of an answer. (He delayed to think.)